


Warmth and Comfort

by New_Elysia



Category: The Chronicles Of Vladimir Tod - Zac Brewer
Genre: AU, Angst, Cuddling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post canon, Slice of Life, but i didn't, i could have stopped at the fluff, past references to major character deaths, post canon au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 01:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13424214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/New_Elysia/pseuds/New_Elysia





	Warmth and Comfort

Slowly, Vlad trudged his way through the snow covered streets, the weather had taken a turn for the worst while Vlad was in class and the snow had come down in sheets.

As Vlad left the college, he took special note to walk carefully, the last thing he wanted was the slip and fall on the icy street. Pravus powers or not, even then, it would still hurt like a bitch.

The halfing couldn’t wait to get inside and curl up under a nice warm blanket and a warm mug of hot chocolate.

The Halfling smiled when the town house came into view, a warm light spilling out onto the snow covered bushes. The snow on the walkway leading up to the front steps appeared undisturbed, though with how heavy the snowfall was, Vlad couldn’t be sure.

The Halfling reached into the pocket of his coat, the jingling of keys broke the quiet of the night as he pulled them from his pocket.

Vlad quickly sorted through the half dozen pieces of metal to find the key he was looking for, each one catching the faint shine as the light from the house hit them. The purple glass gems that served as the eyes for a small metal bat charm glittered as Vlad climbed the steps and approached the door.

The colored glass cast a light blue glow on his face as the lock clicked, the young Halfling pushed on the door and slipped inside.

He relished in the warmth that enveloped him as he entered the home. The door closed with a soft click and Vlad placed his keys on the polished oak table that sat next to the door.

Vlad slipped off his back pack to slide under the table’s polished legs. He’d concern himself with homework later, once he’d warmed up.

He slipped off his coat and placed it on the coat rack, next to a second coat. Its dark royal blue fabric and gold trim bringing another smile to his lips.

Slowly, keeping his footsteps light, he walked towards the living room. The smile on his face grew when he saw the vampire sitting on the couch, his gaze preoccupied with the news cast on the television.

When the Halfling stepped into the living room, the vampire seemed to take notice of him almost immediately.

He reached up and turned the television off, then placed the remote on the table next to an empty tea cup.

“Thank god, I was begging to worry something had happened to you.” Jasik said, his green eyes locking on Vlad and a look of relief falling over him.

“Sorry” Vlad apologized, feeling a bit guilty that he’d worried the other vampire so much. “The buses weren’t running when I got out and I didn’t take any money for a cab.” He hadn’t expected to even need it anyways, he was only supposed to attend two classes in the late afternoon.

And, the house was just a fifteen minute walk from the campuses and Vlad had just opted to walk to and from the college, rather than drive or pay for a cab.

Vlad sat himself down onto the plush couch and leaned back.

Jasik reached over, his arm reaching around Vlad’s shoulders.

The vampire suddenly recoiled in shock, “good lord, you’re freezing.” He remarked, then he stood and grabbed one of the blankets draped over the back of the couch. Vlad looked up at his lover as the vampire tossed it over him and started for the kitchen.

“You should have called me, I would have come to pick you up. You shouldn’t have tried to walk home in this weather.” Vlad tugged the blanket around him and kicked off his shoes before curling his legs underneath his body.

“I didn’t want to drag you out into this weather, it’s a lot worse than it looks.” Vlad called back, he hadn’t expected the weather to get that bad.

“Which only supports my point that you shouldn’t have walked home.” Jasik said, Vlad could hear the clattering of dishes as Jasik moved around the kitchen. “I was ten minutes from heading out to look for you, Vlad, you could have atleast called.”

Or used telepathy, though Vlad hadn’t really thought of that on his walk home.

Vlad pursed his lips and leaned back, and he would have called, had his phone not died during his second lecture.

The older vampire returned, a steaming mug of hot chocolate in his hands.

“Don’t worry so much.” He smiled “I’m the Pravus remember.”

Jasik smiled and shook his head as he walked over. The emerald eyed vampire held out the mug to Vlad and the Halfling took it with a quiet “thanks”.

“Pravus powers or not, I still worry about you.” Jasik sat down, once again wrapping his arm around Vlad. This time he pulled the Halfling close to him and Vlad rested his head against the thief’s shoulder.

He took a sip from the mug, the drink was just hot enough to warm him, but not enough to scold his tongue or mouth upon contact.

Jasik kissed the top of Vlad’s head, which was damp from melted snow and ice, then let out a sigh “I’m just happy you made it home safe.”

Vlad took another sip from the mug, relishing in the rich taste of chocolate and the warmth.

“I didn’t expect the storm to hit this hard.” He admitted, when the weather had predicted snow, Vlad had shrugged it off.

“I expected a flurry, not a blizzard.” The Halfling took another sip, then snuggled closer to Jasik for warmth.

In the wake of everything that had happened during Vlad’s high school years, the Halfling had built up the desire to leave the little town of Bathery and the city of Stokerton far behind.

Jasik had heard him out and suggested some place in Europe, Germany, Italy, and France had been just a few of the country’s he’d brought up.

But Vlad didn’t feel ready to leave the country, namely because he had little to no knowledge on any foreign langue, not even Spanish.

So, they’d moved a few states south, far enough for a change in scenery and weather, but not far enough to end up in some back country town.

It also meant that the winters were a bit milder, they were still cold as hell and the nights dropped well below freezing, but there wasn’t much of a chance for two or three feet of snow like there was back in the little Midwestern town of Bathery.

Perhaps, in a few years, he might take the vampire up on the idea and travel. But that felt like a long way off.

Vlad traced the rim of his cup with one of his fingers and then took another sip.

“How did your classes go, love?” Jasik gently ran a hand through Vlad’s hair as he spoke.

“They were fine.” Vlad said, his hands then tightened around the ceramic “though, the history professor reminds me of Otis.” Vlad’s gaze moved over to a wall with picture frames, ones that he’d so carefully arranged when they’d moved into the little town house, his gaze locking on the picture of his uncle.

The blond vampire was poised next to a vibrantly decorated Christmas tree, a smile on his pale lips and a box in his hands, waiting to be unwrapped.

Vlad could remember it had been a sweater that, Nelly had made for him.

Though his uncle had never worn it, Vlad’s uncle had expressed so much joy and happiness upon seeing it.

“I do worry about your decision to take that class, I suspected it might drudge up memories you’d rather not deal with right now.” Jasik said, giving Vlad a concerned look.

The Halfling looked back to his boyfriend, the vampire he’d been with it in the years following his graduation from high school.

The vampire had taken Vlad under his ‘wing’ and given him some training in the rather shady arts of thievery.

While Vlad wasn’t exactly skilled at it, Jasik and many other vampires like him would claim Vlad showed promise. But he’d been more focused on completing his school work, Vlad had felt that Otis would want him to.

He’d really only signed up for the class out of curiosity and the feeling of familiarity it brought when he thought back to his uncle’s lessons in high school.

Vlad looked back to his uncle’s picture again, “I just really miss him, you know…”

“I know” Jasik whispered, then ran a hand through Vlad’s black hair again and then reached over to take the mug from Vlad’s hand.

The vampire placed it on the coffee table, next to his tea cup, and then wrapped his free arm around Vlad.

“These last few years have been rough on you, I know.” He placed a kiss on Vlad’s head again.

The halfling’s eyes misted over with tears, his heart wrenched in his chest as he remembered the look on his uncle’s face as he walked to his death at the hands of a biased council. The sad smile he’d given Vlad as he tried to reassure his nephew that he’d still be there for Vlad.

Then there was the look on Nelly’s face as she realized the man she love would never return.

Then the funerals, the ones following the earth quake that had torn through Bathery over Christmas break. While Vlad had been away on a vacation with henry and his family.

He wasn’t there to save Nelly, nor many of the friends he’d made at the crypt. Joss had survived, but he’d become distant in the weeks following, he wouldn’t even look Vlad in the eye.

It all came down on Vlad like an avalanche, he felt like he was being crushed by the weight of grief as he tried to process everything that had happened. His mind unable to comprehend the pattern of terrible misfortune his life had become.

The Halfling hadn’t felt so alone since the fire had taken his parents.

The vampire, Jasik, had continued to write Vlad during this. Giving the boy some comfort during one of the worst times in his life.

It had been after his graduation that Vlad had decided he needed to leave. Being in Bathery had proved to be too much, every sight drudged up memories and painful feelings.

Jasik gently moved and pulled Vlad onto his chest, the vampire laid back and cradled Vlad in his arms as the halfing shook with sobs.

“I just want to see them again, I want to go back and help Nelly, and Otis.” Vlad’s hands gripped at the fabric of Jasik’s shirt, “I’m such an idiot.”

Jasik ran a fingers up and down Vlad’s back “no, you’re not an idiot, Vlad.” the vampire nuzzled Vlad “you were young, you couldn’t have predicted the things that happened.”

“I should have though, I should have been able to stop all of this.” Vlad covered his face with his hands. “I should have killed D’Ablo when I had the chance, I should have just let him burn in the sunlight.”

It felt like a dam had broken inside the young Pravus, all the nagging feelings Vlad had pushed back over the years came spilling out.

Vlad’s body shook with sobs and Jasik’s embrace tightened around him.

The vampire closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling.

“Unfortunately, hind sight is always twenty-twenty, there are many things we wish we’d known or done back then. But, there isn’t anything we can do now.” Vlad looked back to Jasik, his face streaked with tears.

Jasik gently swiped the tears away and placed a kiss on Vlad’s forehead.

“I know” Vlad laid his head back down against Jasik’s chest. He could hear the vampire’s heartbeat, “but sometimes, I come home and just hope I’ll see them at the kitchen table or something.” Vlad admitted.

He often dreamed that he’d see Otis sitting out the table, a newspaper in hand as Nelly worked to cook dinner at the stove.

Sometimes, it felt so real, like it had become his reality. Then, he’d wake up, wake up to the world were his family was gone, torn apart by events Vlad couldn’t control.

Jasik closed his eyes and laid his head back against the arm of the couch.

He felt the Halfling curl up, arms moving to wrap around Jasik’s body.

The vampire didn’t speak, he only placed his hand on the back of Vlad’s head and continued to comfort the young Halfling.

He could only listen as his lover sobbed for those he’d lost. He’d learned long ago that words couldn’t quell grief, it would take time for Vladimir to adjust. And it would take even more time for him to recover.

Jasik continued to gently stroke Vlad’s back as the halfling’s sobs slowly quieted and he began to breathe quietly as he drifted into slumber.

The vampire pushed Vlad back, being careful not to stir the young Halfling as he stood. The vampire picked Vlad up and carried him up the steps and towards their bedroom.

The vampire slipped Vlad under the covers and tucked him in. Jasik placed another kiss on top of Vlad’s head and turned to leave the room, the vampire slowly walked down the steps and back to the living room.

He picked up the two cups, their drinks long since cooled, and rinsed them out in the sink.

Jasik didn’t feel tired, in truth, he’d only been awake for an hour. Unlike Vladimir, the vampire had kept to his more natural schedule.

It did make him worry about that Halfling though, eventually Vlad would have to adjust his lifestyle to the demands of a vampire’s body or it would wear him out.

But he supposed the boy would much rather feel as normal as possible, even if it meant fighting part of his nature.

With the cups on the drying rack, the vampire reascended the stairs, stopping along the way to grab a book from the shelf set into the wall at the top of the steps before returning to the bedroom.

The vampire made himself comfortable next to Vlad and cracked the book open to the carefully marked page, he didn’t’ take his gaze off the pages as he reached over to gently toy with Vlad’s raven black hair.

He’d let him sleep for now, the Halfling could concern himself with homework after he’d taken the time to rest.


End file.
